Redeveloped efficiently

A2 Freeway, Stansstad-Beckenried, Switzerland

For all those involved in the project, repairs to the 12-kilometer section of the A2 freeway between Stansstad and Beckenried is a particular challenge. Between 2013 and 2017, the section of road, which has been in use for 40 years, will be redeveloped in three construction stages at a cost of around 278 million francs.

The challenge:

The repair work must be carried out within a short space of time, among traffic, and in very tight spaces on site. To meet these demands, the repair work on the Stansstad section to freeway exit Stans Süd, including the preferred measures, has been divided into six phases. It is only necessary to close freeway entrances and exits for a short time during resurfacing work.

The solution:

The project placed high demands on the accuracy of the installation of the new road surface. With Allplan Highway, it was possible to meet these demands very efficiently.

Overcoming boundaries

Aare bridge, Olten (SO) Switzerland

Olten has a new landmark: the Aare Bridge, which was given over to traffic in April 2013 as part of the "Olten Region Relief" (Entlastung Region Olten, ERO) project. Thanks to the 3D visualization, the planning association commissioned to manage the project were able to show that the main intersections of the static system could meet all requirements relating to the installation of reinforcements and pre-tensioning measures, despite their minimal dimensions.

The challenge:

The main challenge for reinforcement and pre-tensioning was at the highest point of the structure: The longitudinal beams (which act as a link to the cut-and-cover tunnel), the angled support (which stands on the abutment), and the concrete sail (which braces the bridge's longest support) come together here on both outer sides.

The solution:

The reinforcement and pre-tensioning plans for this level of complexity in the structure could only be tested in the 3D model...

Island Building

Three bridge project in Nijmegen, Netherlands

The Dutch in Nijmegen reveal just how sustainable and pioneering flood protection can be with an impressive project. Just across the border from Germany in the Lower Rhine, Europe's largest flood protection project is under construction. It is called "Ruimte voor de Waal" – literally "more room for the Waal" – and is intended to create more space for the biggest river in the Netherlands, the Waal.

The challenge:

For the engineers in charge at Witteveen + Bos, bridge building on this scale is an enormous challenge, especially as the timetable has been tight from the start. Planning such a major project without errors in such an incredibly short time is only possible – and the Dutch engineers were in full agreement – with hard work and the latest equipment.

The solution:

With Building Information Modeling (BIM) as an efficient planning method, and with Allplan Engineering as the right tool it is extremely beneficial because all the necessary information can be derived directly and coherently.

All Wrapped Up

Elephant house Zurich Zoo, Switzerland

The new Kaeng Krachan Elephant Park at Zurich Zoo is a fine example of the international change taking place in zoo philosophy: More space for elephants, more proximity for visitors. The new home for a family of eight elephants extends over an area of more than 11,000 m². This is approximately six times the size of the old facility and provides the animals with more space, more family life and more room for movement.

The challenge:

The project was a daring experiment because a roof structure like this, with spans of over 85 meters, had never been built before.

The solution:

For many years, Walt + Galmarini has consistently relied on the BIM solution Allplan Engineering for realizing challenging designs with a high degree of quality. Once the digital building model has been populated with the design data, the engineers can derive all the relevant sections, views and perspectives.